This book offers an engaging and accessible introduction to data visualization for communicators, covering everything from data collection and analysis to the creation of effective data visuals. Straying from the typical "how to visualize data" genre often written for technical audiences, Big Data in Small Slices offers those new to data gathering and visualization the opportunity to better understand data itself. Using the concept of the "data backstory," each chapter features discussions with experts, from marine scientists to pediatricians and city government officials, who produce datasets in their daily work. The reader is guided through the process of designing effective visualizations based on their data, delving into how datasets are produced and vetted, and how to assess their weaknesses and strengths, ultimately offering readers the knowledge needed to produce their own effective data visuals. This book is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in data visualization and storytelling, from journalism and communications students to public relations professionals. A detailed accompanying website features additional material for readers, including links to all the original datasets used in the text, at www.bigdatainsmallslices.com

This book offers an engaging and accessible introduction to data visualization for communicators, covering everything from data collection and analysis to the creation of effective data visuals. Straying from the typical "how to visualize data" genre often written for technical audiences, Big Data in Small Slices offers those new to data gathering and visualization the opportunity to better understand data itself. Using the concept of the "data backstory," each chapter features discussions with experts, from marine scientists to pediatricians and city government officials, who produce datasets in their daily work. The reader is guided through the process of designing effective visualizations based on their data, delving into how datasets are produced and vetted, and how to assess their weaknesses and strengths, ultimately offering readers the knowledge needed to produce their own effective data visuals. This book is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in data visualization and storytelling, from journalism and communications students to public relations professionals. A detailed accompanying website features additional material for readers, including links to all the original datasets used in the text, at www.bigdatainsmallslices.com

This book covers data vetting and visualization in a vernacular designed for the communications professional - replacing the usual geeky jargon and code lists with context and meaningful data sets. Each chapter serves as a case study on a different professional: an economist, a government budget manager, a public health official and an environmental scientist. By shadowing people who create and provide data to the public, readers will learn how data is vetted and why the grunt work of cleaning, filtering and vetting is essential to any visualization. The final chapter provides exercises for self-training or use in classes and the companion website provides data sets discussed in the book.

Audience and media analytics is more important now than ever, and this latest volume in the cutting-edge BEA Electronic Media Research Series collects some of the top scholars working with big data and analytics today. These chapters describe the development and help define media analytics as an academic discipline and professional practice. Understanding audiences is integral to creating and distributing media messages and the study of media analytics requires knowing a range of skills including research methods, the necessary tools available, familiarity with statistical procedures, and a mindset to provide insights and apply findings. This book summarizes the insights of analytics practitioners regarding the current state of legacy media analysis and social media analytics. Topics covered include the evolution of media technologies, the teaching of media measurement and analytics, the transition taking place in media research, and the use of media analytics to answer meaningful questions, drive content creation, and engage with audiences.

A dream come true for those looking to improve their data fluency Analytical data is a powerful tool for growing companies, but what good is it if it hides in the shadows? Bring your data to the forefront with effective visualization and communication approaches, and let Data Fluency: Empowering Your Organization with Effective Communication show you the best tools and strategies for getting the job done right. Learn the best practices of data presentation and the ways that reporting and dashboards can help organizations effectively gauge performance, identify areas for improvement, and communicate results. Topics covered in the book include data reporting and communication, audience and user needs, data presentation tools, layout and styling, and common design failures. Those responsible for analytics, reporting, or BI implementation will find a refreshing take on data and visualization in this resource, as will report, data visualization, and dashboard designers. Conquer the challenge of making valuable data approachable and easy to understand Develop unique skills required to shape data to the needs of different audiences Full color book links to bonus content at juiceanalytics.com Written by well-known and highly esteemed authors in the data presentation community Data Fluency: Empowering Your Organization with Effective Communication focuses on user experience, making reports approachable, and presenting data in a compelling, inspiring way. The book helps to dissolve the disconnect between your data and those who might use it and can help make an impact on the people who are most affected by data. Use Data Fluency today to develop the skills necessary to turn data into effective displays for decision-making.

Explore different perspectives and approaches to create more effective visualizations #MakeoverMonday offers inspiration and a giant dose of perspective for those who communicate data. Originally a small project in the data visualization community, #MakeoverMonday features a weekly chart or graph and a dataset that community members reimagine in order to make it more effective. The results have been astounding; hundreds of people have contributed thousands of makeovers, perfectly illustrating the highly variable nature of data visualization. Different takes on the same data showed a wide variation of theme, focus, content, and design, with side-by-side comparisons throwing more- and less-effective techniques into sharp relief. This book is an extension of that project, featuring a variety of makeovers that showcase various approaches to data communication and a focus on the analytical, design and storytelling skills that have been developed through #MakeoverMonday. Paging through the makeovers ignites immediate inspiration for your own work, provides insight into different perspectives, and highlights the techniques that truly make an impact. Explore the many approaches to visual data communication Think beyond the data and consider audience, stakeholders, and message Design your graphs to be intuitive and more communicative Assess the impact of layout, color, font, chart type, and other design choices Creating visual representation of complex datasets is tricky. There’s the mandate to include all relevant data in a clean, readable format that best illustrates what the data is saying—but there is also the designer’s impetus to showcase a command of the complexity and create multidimensional visualizations that “look cool.” #MakeoverMonday shows you the many ways to walk the line between simple reporting and design artistry to create exactly the visualization the situation requires.

An integrated introduction to data visualization, strategic communication, and delivery best practices. Persuading with Data provides an integrated instructional guide to data visualization, strategic communication, and delivery best practices. Most books on data visualization focus on creating good graphs. This is the first book that combines both explanatory visualization and communication strategy, showing how to use visuals to create effective communications that convince an audience to accept and act on the data. In four parts that proceed from micro to macro, the book explains how our brains make sense of graphs; how to design effective graphs and slides that support your ideas; how to organize those ideas into a compelling presentation; and how to deliver and defend data to an audience. Persuading with Data is for anyone who has to explain analytical results to others. It synthesizes a wide range of skills needed by modern data professionals, providing a complete toolkit for creating effective business communications. Readers will learn how to simplify in order to amplify, how to communicate data analysis, how to prepare for audience resistance, and much more. The book integrates practitioner and academic perspectives with real-world examples from a variety of industries, organizations, and disciplines. It is accessible to a wide range of readers—from undergraduates to mid-career and executive-level professionals—and has been tested in settings that include academic classes and workplace training sessions.